Brassiere and similar garments



Nov. 16, 1948. J, GUCK BRASSIERE AND SIMILAR GARMENT Filed Feb. 14, 1945 INVENTQR JAc/r 61. 10K

ATTORN Y Patented Nov. 16, 1948 BRASSIERE AND SHWILAR GARMENTS Jack- Glick, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to The Gluckin Corporation, New York, N.Y., a. corporation: of

New York Application February 14, 1945, Serial N0." 577,861-

(Cl.2l2)

5 Claims. 1

T-his invention relates to brassieres of .the type andkinddispensing-With the use of conventional shoulder-straps. Moreparticularly, the invention deals with brassieres of the kind defined wherein thecups or -pockets includes circumferential channels or passages extending'from the bottom of the cups-or pocketsto inner and outer sides of the pockets,- and to the inclusion of brace or supporti-ng' members in-said channels or passages in the form of what might be termed open rings, with means providing detachable mounting of the brace or supporting memberswith respect to the pockets. Still more particularly, the invention deals with garments of the class described including supplemental supporting straps or hands extendingfrom upper outer side portions of the pockets to the central portion of the back band of the brassiere and adjustablewith respect to the back band of an opposed pocket in aiding in the support ofthe brassiere upon the body of the wearer.

The. novel features. of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in-which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are" designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1- is a front and slightly perspective view of a brassiere made according to my invention, with part of the construction broken away.

"'Fig. 2-is a rear view of the back band of the brassiere on an enlarged scale.

Fig. -3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts detached.

Fig. 4 is va section on the line 44 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the rear portion of a modified form of side and back band.

InFig, 1 of the drawing is shown a brassiere formed from two substantially similar pockets Hi and I Ila. In the construction shown, these pockets are formed from inner and outer'facings, for example, the inner facing I l and the outer facing 12 of the pocket l0, note Fig. Land the inner facing I3 and outer facing [4 of the pocket Ilia, note Fig. 1. Both of these facings will be shaped to give the desired bust contour to the pockets, for example, by the'formation of darts therein, as indicated by the dart I5 on the pocket I 0 and the dart 16 on the pocket Illa. The pockets Ill and Illa are formed with relatively wide inner edges l1 and corresponding outer edges l8. The inner edges are joind by a strap I9, which may be elastic.

Attached to the outer edges 8. of. the pockets ill and 80a areside and back bands '20 and'I-2l. These bands terminate in coupling tabs'il and 23 respectively, which join the ends'of the bands "20 and 2 5, preferably in elastic straps 2d and 25, note in this connection-Figs. 2 and 3: of the drawing. ecured to the outer surface of the tab 23 are two hooks 2t, of-a conventional hook andieye, andsecured to the inner surface of the tab Hare two pairs of bars 2? for engagement with the hooks in adjusting the band for size upon the body of awearer.

Also secured tooutersurfaces of the tab 22 is a pair of bars'iB, anda corresponding pair of bars Zii is secured to the outer'iace or the tab 23. Extending from the upper cornerportion of the outer edges l8 of the pockets ill an'd lfla, as seen at 3!], note Fig. 1, are supplemental supporting strapstl and 32. Arranged in these straps intermediate the ends thereof and at any desired position thereon, are elastic straps-33 and. In the construction shown, the straps 33 and M are disposed near the ends of the straps 3i and 32.

Secured to the ends of the straps'3 I and'32 are hooks Eli and 3%, note Figs. 2 and i3 of the drawing. After the tabs l2 and 23 have been properlycoupled together by engagement of the hooks 26 with two of the bars 21, the straps/3! and 32 are then drawn tightly above the bands 21] and 2| and crossed at l the back of the band and coupled theretoby engaging hooks 35 and 36 with one of t the bars 29 "and 28. It will be understood that one strap is secured in position first and then the other strap is passed over the first strap andsecured in position. Thetwo bars 28 and 29 provide adjustability for controlling the support of the brassiere-upon the body of the wearer.

It will be apparent that-the strap extending from one pocket is attached to the band which extends fromthe opposed pocket, and preferably at the lower edge portion of said band. This exerts a pull upon the lower part of the side and backbands, which also aids in supporting a brassiere of the type and kind in position without the use of conventional shoulder straps. In this connection, it will be understood that while the garment is designed primarily to be what might be termed strapless, in some instances, shoulder straps canbe employed, but if employed, the

l0, and 38 on the pocket Illa, in the curved paths which are diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, to stop stitchings 39 and 40, at the upper portion of the pocket It), and 4! and 42 at the upper portion of the pocket a. The stop stitchings 39-40 and 41-42 transverse the stitchings 37 and 38 and define the ends of channels or passages 43 and 44 of the pockets Ill and Illa, in which brace or supporting members 45 and 46 are arranged.

The formation of the channels or passages 43 and 44, as well as the members 45 and 46 is such as to provide supports which are arranged at the lower and both inner and outer sides of the pockets, the supports extending to points above the inner and outer side edges l1 and I8 of the pockets. The members 45 and 46 of the supports may be said to be in the form of open rings or to be substantially horseshoe shaped in form, as viewed in plan.

The members 45 and 46 can be composed of any suitable reinforcing material having a greater degree of stiffness or rigidity than the fabric from which the pocket is formed, and in some instances, may be composed of metal or plastic materials, preferably of such construction as to facilitate formation of the curved contour in cross section, as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawing, for these members to fit upon the peripheral portions of the breasts and body of the wearer. In other words, these members should preferably have a slight transverse fiexibility as well as a longitudinal flexibility. In forming the members from plastic and similar materials, they may be pre-formed to the desired cross sectional curvature, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4.

In using supporting members 45 and 46 of metallic, plastic or similar materials, it is desirable to remove these members from the pockets in laundering the garment. For this purpose, one of the facings of each pocket adjacent one of the ends 39-42 is provided with a buttonhole or similar opening, asindicated for example, at 41 in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the buttonhole being shown inwardly of but adjacent the stop stitch 39 and on the inner facing ll of the pocket. It will be understood that the companion pocket Illa will have a similar opening formed adjacent the stop stitch 42, as is indicated in dotted lines at 48 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The openings 41 and 48 will be formed sufficiently close to one end of the members 45 and 46 to facilitate detachment of the end through the opening by fiexure of the material, and yet a pocket will be formed adjacent the steps 39 and 42 to retain the members 45 and 46 against accidental displacement.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing is shown a slight modi fication of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive wherein the side and back bands are composed of inner and outer facings and the supplemental straps are disposed, for the major part, between these facings. In Fig. 6, 49 represents the rear end portion of a side or back band equivalent to the band 20, the tab end being diagrammatically illustrated at 50, this tab being the same as the tab 22. At 5| is shown the elastic strap similar to the strap 24, and at 52 is a strap similar to the strap 3i. The side and back band 49 will be composed of inner and outer facing sheets 53 and 54 respectively, thus the strap 52 in extending from the upper outer side of a pocket can for the most part be arranged between the facings 53 and 54 and extend out through a buttonhole 55 formed in the outer facing 54 near the elastic strap 5|. All detailed structures with respect to the tab are omitted for sake of simplicity, and in this respect the illustration in Fig. 6 is diagrammatic simply to show the method of mounting the strap 52. This same structure will be applicable to the side and back band at the other side of the garment and equivalent to the band 2|.

By extending the supporting members 45 and 45 to the upper portions of inner and outer sides of the breast pockets, it will appear that the breasts will be disposed within braces which envelope all but the upper portions of the breasts, thus providing all the support which is essential to maintain the breasts in the desired position upon the body of the wearer. The auxiliary straps in addition to the side and back bands will firmly secure the garment in position, the elastic straps being employed to make this firm mounting and yieldable mounting to compensate for body movement as well as chest expansion and contraction.

Garments of the type and kind under consideration are adaptable for use in all types and kinds of lowcut garments, and for use in conjunction with bathing suits and in what are termed sunsuits or bathing suits of this type and kind, The brassire structure itself might constitute the garment or built into the fabric of a garment. When it constitutes a garment, the outer facing sheets will be made to match the other part of the suit.

Having fully described by invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by, Letters Patent is:

1. In garments of the class described, a pair of substantially similar breast pockets, said pockets having wide adjacent and outer edge portions, means joining adjacent edge portions of the pockets, side and back bands attached to outer side edges of the pockets, means adjustably and detachably coupling rear end portions of said bands, straps coupled with upper outer edge portions of each pocket and paralleling said bands, when arranged upon the body of the wearer, means on the straps and bands for detachably and adjustably coupling the rear end portion of the straps with the rear end portion of the band of an opposed pocket, to aid in supporting the garment upon the body of the wearer, said pockets being composed of inner and outer facings joined by spaced parallel stitchings arranged at lower and inner and outer side portions of the pockets, said stitchings forming between the facings curved channels, curved brace members arranged in the channels of said pockets, and one of the facings having openings formed therein adjacent one end of the channels for detachable mounting of the brace members with repect to said pockets.

2. The combination with a body encircling garment comprising breast pockets joined centrally of the front of the garment and body encircling bands for supporting the garment upon the body of the wearer, of supplemental garment supporting straps, said straps being attached to upper outer side edges of said pockets and adapted to be arranged around the body of the wearer substantially paralleling said bands, said straps being of sufficient length to be crossed at the back of the wearer, and means on said straps and bands for detachably coupling the strap of one ocket with the band of an opposed pocket at the back portion of said band.

3. The combination with a body encircling garment comprising breast pockets joined cen I trally of the front of the garment and body en;-

circling bands for supporting the garment upon the body of the wearer, of supplemental garment supporting straps, said straps being attached to upper outer side edges of said pockets and adapted to be arranged around the body of the wearer substantially paralleling said bands, said straps being of suflicient length to be crossed at the back of the wearer, means on said straps and bands for detachably coupling the strap of one pocket with the band of an opposed pocket at the back portion of said band, and said last named means being adjustable.

4. The combination with a body encircling garment comprising breast pockets joined centrally of the front of the garment and body encircling bands for supporting the garment upon the body of the wearer, of supplemental garment supporting straps, said straps being attached to upper outer side. edges of said pockets and adapted to be arranged around the body of the wearer substantially paralleling said bands, said straps being adapted to be crossed at the back of the wearer, means on said straps and bands for detachably coupling the strap of one pocket with the band of an opposed pocket at the back portion of said band, said bands having inner and outer facings, and said straps throughout the greater portion of their length being disposed between the inner and outer facings of said bands.

5. A shoulder strapless garment of the class described comprising a pair of pockets, means including body encircling bands for supporting the pockets upon the body of the wearer, means reinforcing lower, side and part of the upper portions of each pocket for maintaining the garment and peripheral portions of the pockets firmly upon the body of the wearer around the major portion of the breasts in support of the breasts in the pockets of the garment, and in supporting the garment against displacement upon the body of the wearer, supplemental body encircling supporting straps attached to upper outer sides of each pocket, means on said straps and bands for coupling the straps to the bands of opposed pockets at the back portion of the garment, and the attachment of the straps to said bands being detachable and adjustable.

JACK GLICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

